To new eyes, it can be a confusing mess of alternate versions of Ripcord and Snake Eyes, Baroness/Duke/Destro love triangles (thanks for that Rise of Cobra), and conflicting origins. What’s a fan to do?

Enter “MacDowin”. Long-time G.I. Joe fan and former YoJoe.com staffer, he’s taken on the task of producing short topical videos that shed some light on our favorite brand of “Real American Heroes.” Focusing initially on the ARAH-side of things, the “G.I. Joe: Basic Training” series tackles a single aspect of the brand in a weekly video.

You can check out Episode 1: Continuity below!

I won’t lie– when MacDowin and I talked about this we discussed what a herculean undertaking this would be. Where do you start? Where do you end? Does Ice Cream Soldier eventually get his own episode?

Thankfully, MacDowin was up to the task! In fact, he’s current THREE episodes in with a fourth dropping soon. So, if you’re looking to catch up on your G.I. Joe facts or just want some Joe-related content in your YouTube feed, check out G.I. Joe: Basic Training! If you like the episodes, hit the “subscribe” button so that you’ll never miss out on an single installment!